Locking mechanism for safes or vaults.



A s. W. FISH. LOCKING MECHANISM FOR. SAFES OB. VAUL'IS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, L909.

Patented July 11,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON n. c.

S. W. FISH.

LOOKING MECHANISM FOR SAFBS on VAULTS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 7, 1909. 997,788, Patented July 11, 1911.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wlineaqes: 9. W

UNITE STATES PATENT reins.

SAMUEL W. FISH, 0F PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR T0 TAYLOR IRON & STEEL COMPANY, OF HIGH BRIDGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LOGKING MECHANISM FOR SAFES OR VAULTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. FISH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Mechanism for Safes or Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

The present improvement relates to looking means for doors of safes or vaults, and especially for the rotary doors usually held in the jamb by integral holding means such for instance as lugs, the object of the invention being to provide improved means for locking a bayonet joint safe door against rotation, and so organized that the locking bolt will be securely held in its locked position in case the entire mechanism within the chamber of the door be detached from the door.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved bolt-locking means which is self-locking at the propertime to prevent the door from being rotated when the cooperating lugs of the door and body are in engagement, and which bolt locking means will be automatically operated independently of any time -lock mechanism which may be used, and securely hold the door against rotation, and which cannot be detached from the door, by explosive charges or otherwise, when the door is closed in the safe body.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved door locking bolt which is operated by means so located as to be protected from external attack, and which locking bolt will be dogged and unlocked by time-lock mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved bolting mechanism effective to hold the bolt in its locked position when the bolt is shot out.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a rear view of a bayonet joint door provided with this improved locking means; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken in line aa, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail view of what I have herein designated as the snubbing mechanism; Fig. 4c is an enlarged view of the main bolt-locking mechanism; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the snubbing mechanism; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed-December 7, 1909.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Serial No. 531,906.

view of a part of the bolt mechanism; and Fig. 7 is a detail of one member of the snubbing device.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In bayonet joint safes, that is, safes provided with looking lugs for holding the door in its jamb, some means has to be provided for preventing the rotation of the door in order to release the door, and various means of this kind have been provided, many such comprising one or more bolts controlled by time-lock mechanism. Frequently this locking-bolt mechanism has been controlled by an automatic, but the bolt is connected therewith and is entirely controlled thereby to shoot the bolt into its locking position. In the present improvement this automatic is entirely done away with. and the construction is such that the bolt is self-locking, time-lock mechanism being used merely to insure the dogging and retraction of the bolt, and not its projection.

The door 2, which may be of any suitable construction, usually of an integral structure, is shown in the present instance as comprising a body 3 and a rearwardly extending flange 4 having a series of looking lugs 5. In one of these lugs 5, shown as the uppermost lug when the door is in its locked position, an opening 6 is provided for the reception of an insert 7 of machineable metal, this being desirable when the door is made of unmachineable metal. This insert 7 is securely seated within the opening in the lug and is provided with a bolt opening 8 having a shoulder 9, cooperating with the under side or shoulder of the bolt head and so prevent the locking bolt from being forced inwardly toward the center of the door when the door is closed, by means of an external attack with explosives or otherwise. This insert is also provided adjacent to its lower end with an annular step or shoulder 11, which forms a base for the bolt-operating or looking spring 12.

The bolt comprises a head 10 which in its unlocked position engages the upper shoulder 9 and is provided with a shank 13 running through a sleeve 14, the upper end of which sleeve has a flange 15 between which and the shoulder 11 at the lower end of the insert 7 a spring-receiving chamber 16 for the spring 12 is formed. The flange 15 of the sleeve operates to compress the spring at the proper time to permit the retraction of the bolt. Attached to the inner end of the sleeve 14 is a sleeve-guide 17. This guide is attached to the sleeve by means of an interiorly threaded sleeve or projection 18, which is provided with a locking screw 19 extending therethrough and through the sleeve and projecting into a slot 20 of the bolt, thus preventing the turning of the sleeve and of the bolt independently of each other. This locking screw also prevents the bolt from being withdrawn in any manner when the door is open. This sleeve-guide 17 is slotted at its inner end, as at 21, to straddle a stud 22 secured to a back plate 23 located within the flange of the door in any suitable manner. This stud prevents the turning of the guide and maintains the sleeve of such guide and the locking bolt in proper alinement.

Mounted on the stud 22 is the bolt retracting or driving member 30 and the bolt dogging member 40, being held in position on such stud by a nut 25. The bolt retracting or driving member 30 is provided with a projection 31 in position to contact with a projection 24 on the sleeve guide at a predetermined period. This driving member is also provided with a recess 32 into which the time-lock actuating member or lever 51 extends. This bolt-retracting member is also provided with another recess 83 which controls the tripping or snubbing mechanism. The dogging member 40, which, like the bolt-retracting member, is in the form of a disk, is provided with a pair of recesses, one, as 41, for the reception of the lower end of the door-locking bolt when the latter is in its unlocked position, and the other, as 42, for the reception of the time-lock lever 51, which time-lock lever or actuator is connected with a suitable time lock 50 carried by the back plate 23. Attached to the hub of the dogging member 40 is a suitable spring 43, one end being securely attached to the hub of such dogging member and the other end to a pin 44 on the back plate 28. This pin projects through an enlarged or elongated opening 44 of the driving member 30. The object of this spring is to maintain the edge of the recess 41 for the locking bolt against the lower end of the locking bolt when the latter is unlocked and to rotate the dogging disk or member into position under the lower end of the locking bolt when the bolt is in its locked position, thereby to dog the'locking bolt securely until the dogging member or disk is withdrawn by the time-lock lever in the manner hereinafter described.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the time-lock actuator or lever 51 transmits power to the driving memberor boltretracting member 30, which, through the medium of its projection 31, retracts the sleeve guide and sleeve against the action of the bolt spring and thereby compresses the bolt-locking spring 12. At the same time the time-lock actuator also shifts the dogging member to bring its recess 41 into position below the lower end of the bolt, so that when the time lock is at zero this recess will be in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, and will then permit the bolt to fall by gravity into such recess in the dogging member and thus into its unlocked positionf In order, however, to prevent the locking bolt from being shot outwardly prematurely, as

for instance when the door is open and the time lock is being wound, and until the door is properly closed, it is necessary to provide a tripping or snubbing mechanism 60, which in the present instance comprises a pair of members, one an arm 61 and the other a catch 62, mounted on a stud 63 se cured to the back plate. The adjacent hubs 64 and 65 of the arm and catch are clutch-faced, that is to say, they are formed as clutch members. Around the hub 64 is located a spring 66, the free end of which is attached to the pin 44 hereinbefore mentioned.

In setting the mechanism, the time lock is first wound for the given number of hours, whereupon the bolt-locking spring 12 immediately attempts to force the locking bolt into its locked position, but is prevented from accomplishing this by the operation of the catch 62 engaging the end 67 of the sleeveguide, which is specially formed for this purpose. This operation takes place while the time lock is traveling from its unlocked to its locked position, so that it will be seen that although the locking bolt and its sleeveguide are only partially advanced from unlocked toward locked posit-ion the time-lock lever or actuator and the driving or bolt retracting member have assumed a locked position. This organization is necessary since the time lock must be set when the door is open, but the bolt must not be protracted at this time, for this would prevent the door from being inserted into its jamb.

The driving member or bolt retractor 80 has, as hereinbefore stated, a recess 33 having a cam surface. The spring 66 carried by the hub 64 tends to hold the lower end of the arm 61 in engagement with the periphery of the driving member or bolt retractor 30. As this driving member or bolt retractor 30 is rotated by means of the timelock lever or actuator 51 during its travel to its locked position the recess 33 comes into position opposite the lower end of the snubbing arm 61 and the spring 66 has a tendency to cause the lower end of the arm 61 to enter said recess, this, however, being prevented by the catch face 62 engaging the part 67 of the sleeve-guide. The purpose of this recess 33 is to permit the catch 62 to release the sleeveguide at the proper time.

lVhen the time-lock is wound and the door is closed the locking bolt 10, which, as will be observed, is provided with an inclined or beveled end, projects slightly above the door joint and consequently will strike the jamb of the body when closing, and thereupon, owing to its inclined surface, be forced into the bolt-receiving opening of the door as far as possible, thus forcing inwardly the sleeve-guide to a suflicient extent to carry the part 67 thereof away from the catch (32, whereupon the spring 66 will immediately throw the lower end of the arm 61 into the recess 33 and consequently the catch 62 away from the sleeve-guide 67, so that when the door is revolved to its proper locked position and the bolt 10 is thus brought opposite the bolt hole in the jamb of the body its locking spring 12 will then immediately and automatically force the locking bolt 10 into such bolt hole and in position to lock the door against rotation, this action of the bolt being entirely effected by the spring 12 without any automatic or other motor mechanism for protracting the bolt. It will also be observed that this spring 12, which constitutes the operating means for protracting the bolt and holding it in its jamb, is entirely concealed within the flange or lug of the door and thereby protected from external attack. As the bolt 10 assumes its locked position to prevent rotary movement of the door the dogging member 410 is, by means of its spring 13, rotated on its stud to bring the periphery of such dogging member under the lower end of the bolt and at the same timecarry one wall of its recess 42 into engagement with the time-lock lever 51 to be operated thereby when such time lock runs down. Thus the locking bolt 10 is dogged securely and prevented from being retracted even should the spring 12 be compressed prematurely.

The retraction of the bolt 10 is accomplished in a way by gravity, but such retraction is under the control of the time lock. When the time lock runs down its actuator 51 causes the driving member or bolt retractor 30 and the dogging member 40 to rotate on their stud 22. The driving member or bolt retractor 30 in rotating causes the projection 31 to shift or depress the sleeve-guide 17 and sleeve, and thereby compresses the bolt-locking spring 12, so that such spring is no longer effective to force the bolt into the bolt opening of the jamb of the safe body. But the bolt at this time cannot retract, because the dogging member 10 has its periphery still in osi tion below or under the lower end of the bolt- 10. hen, however, this dogging member 40 has been rotated also by the actuator 51 of the time lock to carry its recess .1 into position in juxtaposition to the lower end of the bolt, then, as the bolt is no longer dogged, it will drop by gravity so that the lower end of such bolt may enter the recess and the door be released to permit rotary movement. At this time the driving or boltretracting member 30, in rotating, forces, by means of the cam surfaced recess 33, the snubbing arm 61 outwardly and consequently the catch 62 thereof inwardly into position to engage the part 67 and so snub or temporarily lock the locking bolt against protraction and permit the time lock to be wound up in the manner hereinbefore described when the door is open. In practice other means could be used for shooting or protracting the bolt and the spring 12 utilized as the means for holding the bolt protracted, in which case the bolt-retracting means would be somewhat more powerful than the spring 12 so as to retract the bolt against the tension of the spring, as illustrated in my pending application Serial hlo. 5 18, 186, filed March 10, 1910.

From the foregoing it will be observed that one of the features of the present improvement is an automatically shifting lock ing bolt, in combination with suitable means for preventing the shifting of the belt at a predetermined period and effective to release the bolt on a slight endwise shifting of the bolt itself. In other words, the snubbing device 60 is effective to prevent premature shifting of the bolt both during the winding of the time lock and also until the door is properly seated in its jamb, which snubbing mechanism is in turn operated bv a slight inward shifting of the bolt itself as the door is seated in its jamb; that is to say, the bolt automatically operates to release itself, thereby being selfreleasing.

Another feature of the present improve ment is that the locking bolt, being provided with a shoulder, prevents it from passing through the bolt hole into the chamber of the door under certain conditions.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, and means independent of the belt for engaging and operating said boltshifting means thereby to permit the bolt to be shifted in another direction.

2. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, and means independent of the bolt for engaging and operating said bolt protracting means thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted.

3. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, and means independent of the bolt for engaging and actuating said spring to permit the bolt to be shifted in the opposite direction.

4L. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, and means independent of the bolt for engaging and actuating said spring to permit the bolt to be retracted.

5. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising av spring encircling the bolt, and means independent of the bolt for engaging and compressing said spring to permit the bolt to be retracted.

6. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for auto matically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, positively acting dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position, and means independent of the bolt for engaging and actuating said bolt operating means at another time.

7. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, positively acting dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position, time-lock mechanism for controlling said dogging means, and means independent of the bolt cooperating with the time lock mechanism for engaging and actuating said bolt operating means at another period.

8. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located entirely within said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, and means for operating said bolt protracting means thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its retracted position by gravity.

9. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a sliding bolt working in said opening, a spring for automatically protractingthe bolt at a predetermined period, and means for compressing the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its retracted position by gravity.

10. The combination with a safe or vault door and a sliding bolt, of a spring for protracting said bolt, and means for compressing the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its retracted position by gravity.

11. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, and time-lock actuated spring compressing means for compressing the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted.

12. The combination with a safe or vaultdoor and a sliding bolt, of a spring for actuating said bolt in one direction, and means for compressing the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be shifted in the opposite direction by gravity.

13. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, time-lock actuated spring compressing means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt at a predetermined time, and dogging means engaging the bolt when in its protracted position.

14. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, time-lock actuated means effective to control the retraction of the bolt, and dogging means engaging the bolt when in its protracted position and controlled by the time lock.

15. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, spring actuating means independent of the bolt effective to shift the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be returned to its normal position, and dogging means for the bolt when in its shifted position.

16. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, time-lock actuated spring actuating means effective to shift the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be returned to its normal position, and dogging means engaging the bolt when in one of its positions and controlled by the time-lock mechanism.

17. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, time lock actuated spring compressing means independent of the bolt for compressing the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted, and dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position.

18. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, spring compressing means operated at a predetermined period to permit the retraction of the bolt, and dogging means for engaging and dogging the bolt when in its protracted position.

19. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protract ing means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, time-lock actuated spring compressing means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt at a predetermined time, and dogging means also controlled by the time-lock mechanism for engaging and dogging the bolt when in its protracted position.

20. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, and bolt controlling means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity.

21. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protract-ing it, and bolt controlling means comprising timelock mechanism efiective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity.

- 22. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, oi a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, bolt controlling means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity, and dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position.

23. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper port-ion, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, bolt controlling means including time-lock mechanism effective to compress the spring thereby to perinit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity, and dogging means also controlled by the time-lock mechanism for the bolt when in its protracted position.

24. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, snubbing means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during a predetermined period and located to be free of contact with the safe body, and automatically operative gieiztms for controlling the retraction of the 25. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, snubbing means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during a predetermined period and. efiective to release the bolt on the slight shifting of such bolt, and automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt.

26. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, snubbing means for preventing the shifting of the bolt at a predetermined period and located to be free of contact with the safe body, and automatically operative means 113011- the spring to permit the retracton of the 27. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, snubbing means for preventing the shifting of the bolt at a predetermined period and effective to release the bolt on the slight shifting of such bolt, and automatically op erative means for the spring to permit the retraction of the bolt.

28. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, and snubbing means effective to pre vent the protraction of the bolt during a predetermined period and located to be free of contact with the safe body.

29. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automati cally shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position, and snubbing means for preventing the protraction of the bolt during a predetermined period.

30. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position, time-lock mechanism for controlling said dogging means, and snubbing means for preventing the protraction of the bolt during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

31. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt operating means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined period, time-lock actuated bolt controlling means, and snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism and released by the engagement of the bolt with the safe body.

32. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt Working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for automatically shifting the bolt at a predetermined period, time-lock actuated spring actuating means effective to shift the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be returned to its normal position, and snubbing means for holding the bolt in its normal position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

33. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, spring compressing means operated at an redetermined period to permit the retraction of the bolt, and snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during a predetermined period.

34. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, time-lock actuated spring compressing means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt at a predetermined time, and snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

35. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, time-lock actuated spring compressing means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt at a predetermined time, and spring actuated snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

36. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for auto matically protracting the bolt at a predetermined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, spring compressing means operated at a predetermined period to permit the retraction of the bolt, snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during a predetermined period, and dogging means for dogging the bolt when in its protracted position.

37. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, bolt protracting means located in said opening for automatically protracting the bolt at a prede termined time and comprising a spring encircling the bolt, time-lock actuated spring compressing means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt at a predetermined time, snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism, and dogging means for dogging the bolt when in its protracted position.

38. The combination with a safe or vaultdoor having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, bolt retracting means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity, and snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during a predetermined period.

39. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, bolt controlling means comprising time-lock mechanism effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity, and snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism and released through the slight retraction of the bolt.

40. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, bolt controlling means effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity, dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position, and snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during a predetermined period.

41. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its uppe' portion, of abolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for protracting it, bolt controlling means comprising time-lock mechanism effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to fall into its unlocked position by gravity, dogging means also controlled by the time-lock mechanism for the bolt when in its protracted position, and snubbing means for holding the bolt. in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

42. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein at its upper portion, of a bolt working in said opening, and a spring located in said opening and encircling said bolt for holding it protracted, and bolt-controlling means independent of the bolt, effective to compress the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted by gravity.

43. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for holding the bolt protracted, and means independent of the bolt for compressing said spring to permit the bolt to be retracted.

44. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, means located in said opening for holding the bolt protracted, and means independent of the bolt for engaging and operating said bolt protracting means thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted.

45. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, means located in said opening for holding the bolt protracted, bolt-controlling means including time-lock mechanism, and snubbing mechanism operative on the automatic shifting of the bolt to permit the bolt to be protracted.

46. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring for holding it protracted, and snubbing mechanism operative by the automatic shifting of the bolt to permit the protraction of the bolt and automatically operative means for controlling the operation of the spring to permit the retraction of the bolt.

47. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, and means independent of the bolt for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt.

48. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, and means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member.

49. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring-at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, and time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member at a predetermined period.

50. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member at a predetermined period, and dogging means for dogging said bolt when in its protracted position.

51. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member at a predetermined period, and dogging means for dogging said bolt when in its protracted position, said dogging means comprising a rotary member.

52. The combination with a safe or vaultdoor having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt .tor protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member at a predetermined period, and dogging means for dogging said bolt when in its protracted position, said dogging means comprising a rotary member operated at a predetermined time by the time-lock mechanism.

53. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt Working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member ata predetermined period, and snubbingmechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the set-ting of the time-lock mechanism.

54. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed Within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member at a predetermined period, dogging mechanism comprising a rotary member controlled by the time-lock mechanism for dogging the bolt when in its protracted position, and snubbing mechanism effective to lock thebolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

55. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary member at a predetermined period, dogging mechanism comprising a rotary member controlled by the time-lock mechanism for dogging the bolt when in its protracted po sition, and snubbing mechanism effective to lock the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism, said snubbing mechanism comprising a pair of clutch-formed spring controlled members, one comprising a latch.

56. The combination with a safe or vault door, of a bolt therefor, a spring for protracting the bolt, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt retracted and operative on the automatic shifting of the bolt to release the bolt, and time lock mechanism for operating said spring compressing means at a predetermined time thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted.

5d. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening. a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, and dogging means for holding the bolt in its protracted position and including a springactuated member.

58. The combination with a safe or Vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, and dogging means for holding the bolt in its protracted position and including a spring-actuated rotary member.

59. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, dogging means for holding the bolt in its protracted position and including a springactuated rotary member, and time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary dogging member at a predetermined period.

60. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring c011- cealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for com pressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, spring-actuated rotary dogging means for dogging the bolt when in its protracted position, and time-lock mechanism for operating said rotary dogging member at a prede termined period.

61. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retract-ion of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, a spring-actuated rotary dogging member for dogging the bolt when in its protracted po sition, and time-lock mechanism for operating both of said rotary members at a predetermined period.

62. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a springconcealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for com pressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means including a rotary member, a spring-actuated rotary dogging member for dogging the bolt when in its protracted position, time-lock mechanism for operating both of said rotary members at a predetermined period, and spring-controlled snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

63. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring concealed within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt by gravity and including a rotary member, a spring-actuated rotary dogging member for dogging the bolt when in its protracted position, time-lock mechanism for operating both of said rotary members at a predetermined period, and spring-controlled snubbing mechanism for holding the bolt in its retracted position during a predetermined period and comprising a pair of clutch-faced members one in the form of a latch and adapted to engage a part connected with the bolt.

64. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring also located in said opening for holding the bolt protracted, time-lock mechanism effective to control the retraction of the bolt, snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism, and dogging means for the bolt when in its protracted position and operated by the time-lock mechanism at a predetermined time.

65. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, said bolt having a guide member provided with a slot, a stud located in said slot and secured to a fixed part of the door, a rotary dogging member mounted on said stud and having a recess for the reception of the lower end of the bolt when in its retracted position, a spring for rotating said rotary dogging member into position to dog the bolt when in its protracted position, and means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt.

66. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, said bolt having a guide member provided with a slot, a stud located in said slot and secured to a fixed part of the door, a rotary dogging member mounted on said stud and having a recess for the reception of the lower end of the bolt when in its retracted position, a spring for rotating said rotary dogging member into position to dog the bolt when in its protracted position, and means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means comprising a rotary member also mounted on said stud.

67 The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, said bolt having a guide member provided with a slot, a stud located in said slot and secured to a fixed part of the door, a rotary dogging member mounted on said stud and having a recess for the reception of the lower end of the bolt when in its retracted position, a spring for rotating said rotary dogging member into position to dog the bolt when in its protracted position, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means comprising a rotary member also mounted on said stud, and time-lock mechanism for operating both of said rotary members at a predetermined period.

68. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, said bolt having a guide member provided with a slot, a stud located in said slot and secured to a fixed part of the door, a rotary dogging member mounted on said stud and having a recess for the reception of the lower end of the bolt when in its retracted position, a spring for rotating said rotary dogging member into position to dog the bolt when in its protracted. position, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means comprising a rotary member also mounted on said stud and having a projection adapted to engage the guide member of the bolt, and time-lock mechanism adapted at a predetermined period to rotate said member thereby to compress the spring and permit the bolt to be retracted by gravity.

69. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, said bolt having a guide member provided with a slot, a stud located in said slot and secured to a fixed part of the door. a rotary dogging member mounted on said stud and having a recess for the reception of the lower end of the bolt when in its retracted position, a spring for rotating said rotary dogging member into position to dog the bolt when in its protracted position, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means comprising a rotary member also mounted on said stud andhaving a projection adapted to engage the guide member of the bolt, and time-lock mechanism adapted at a predetermined period to rotate said member thereby to compress the spring and permit the bolt to be retracted by gravity and also efi'ective to release the dogging member.

70. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring withln said opening and encircling the bolt for protracting it, said bolt having a guide member provided with a slot, a stud located in sa1d slot and secured to a fixed part of the door, a rotary dogging member mounted on said stud and having a recess for the reception of the lower end of the bolt when in its retracted position, a spring for rotating said rotary dogging member into position to dog the bolt when in its protracted position, means for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt, said means comprising a rotary member also mounted on said stud and having a projection adapted to engage the guide member of the bolt, time-lock mechanism adapted at a predetermined period to rotate said member thereby to com press the spring and permit the bolt to be retracted by gravity and also effective to release the dogging member, and snubbing means for holding the bolt in its retracted position during the setting of the time-lock mechanism.

71. The combination with a safe or vault door having a rearwardly extending flange and a bolt opening therein, of a back plate located within said flange, a bolt located within said opening, a spring within said opening for protracting the bolt, and means having connection with the back plate for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt by gravity.

7 2. The combination with a safe or vault door having a rearwardly extending flange and a bolt opening therein, of a back plate secured to said flange, a bolt located in said opening, a spring within said opening for protracting the bolt, and means carried by the back plate for compressing the spring thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted by gravity, the organization being such that the spring will maintain the bolt in protracted position notwithstanding the separation of the back plate and the mechanism carried thereby from the door.

73. The combination with a safe or vault door having an opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening for protracting the bolt, and means carried by the door for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt by gravity, the organization being such that the spring will maintain the bolt protracted notwithstanding the separation of the spring compressing means from the door.

74. The combination with a safe or vault door having an opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening for protracting the bolt, means carried by the door for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt by gravity, and dogging means also carried by the door for dogging the bolt in its protracted position, the organization being such that the spring will maintain the bolt in its protracted position notwithstanding the separation of the spring compressing means and the dogging mechanism from the door.

7 5. The combination with a safe or vault door having an opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring within said opening for protracting the bolt, means carried by the door for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt by gravity, dogging means also carried by the door for dogging the bolt in its protracted position, the organization being such that the spring will maintain the bolt in its protracted position notwithstanding the separation of the spring compressing means and the dogging mechanism from the door, said spring compressing means including time-lock mechanism also effective at a predetermined time to operate the dogging mechanism.

76. The combination with a safe or vault door, of a sliding bolt connected therewith, a spring for protracting said bolt and means for compressing said spring prior to the re traction of the bolt thereby to permitthe bolt to be retracted.

77. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in said opening for protracting the bolt and means for compressing said spring prior to the retract-ion of the bolt.

78. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt openingv therein, of an automatically shiftable locking bolt working in said opening, means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during the setting of the automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt and operative to release the bolt on the endwise shifting of the bolt and automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt.

79. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of an automatically shiftable locking bolt working in said opening, means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during the setting of the automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt and bolt-operated to effect the release of the bolt to permit it to be protracted to lock the door, and automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt.

80. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of an automatically shiftable locking bolt work ing in said opening, means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during the setting of the automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt and boltoperated to effect the release of the bolt to permit it to be protracted to lock the door, a spring for protracting the bolt, and automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt.

81. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of an automatically shiftable locking bolt working in said opening, means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during the setting of the automatically operative means for con-' trolling the retraction of the bolt and boltoperated to effect the release of the bolt to permit it to be protracted to lock the door, a spring for holding the bolt protracted, and automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt.

82. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of an automatically shiftable locking bolt work ing in said opening, means for preventing the shifting of the bolt during the setting of the automatically operative means for controlling the retraction of the bolt and bolt-operated to effect the release of the bolt to permit it to be protracted to lock the door, a spring for protracting the bolt and holding it protracted, and time lock mechanism for controlling the spring thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt.

83. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a bolt working in said opening, a spring located in juxtaposition to said bolt and effective to keep the bolt protracted should the bolt-operating mechanism be detached from the bolt, and means having a part thereof located around a part of the bolt for compressing the spring to permit the bolt to be retracted.

84:. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein provided with a seat, of a bolt working in said opening and having a shoulder, a spring located between said seat and shoulder to maintain the bolt protracted should the operating means for the bolt be detached therefrom, and means having a part thereof located around a part of the bolt for compressing the spring to permit the bolt to be retracted.

85. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a radially shiftable locking bolt sliding in said opening, a sleeve slidably mounted on said bolt, a spring mounted on said sleeve, a sleeve guide attached to said sleeve, a driving member, means for operating said driving member, and a tripping device for holding the sleeve against the action of the spring; and which tripping device is operated on the retraction of the bolt when it strikes against the jamb of the safe or vault body, thereby to allow the bolt to be shot by its spring into its locked position.

86. The combination with a safe or vault door having a bolt opening therein, of a sliding bolt located within said opening, a spring concealed within said opening for protracting the bolt, and means independent of the bolt for compressing the spring at a predetermined time thereby to permit the retraction of the bolt.

87. The combination with a safe or vault door, of a sliding bolt connected therewith, a coiled spring for protracting said bolt, and means for compressing said spring prior to the retraction of the bolt thereby to permit the bolt to be retracted.

SAMUEL W. FISH.

Witnesses:

EMMA NEIGHBOUR, H. V. WYOKOFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

